{Ding! Host has entered a dungeon.}
{Ding! Warning… anomaly detected.}
{Ding! Dungeon rank recalculating…}
{Ding! Current Dungeon Rank: SSS}
"…What the actual fuck?!"
Kael's eyes widened as he looked around.
"Hey, System—wait… even the gate is closed?!"
{Ding! Host, the gate will only open once the dungeon is cleared… or the one who entered is dead.}
Kael: "..."
"…You piece of shit."
"Didn't you say that map shows dungeon ranks?!"
"How the hell did an E-rank dungeon turn into SSS?!"
{Ding! Host, the dungeon simply evolved. Do not blame me—blame your luck.}
"…My luck is trying to kill me."
"This whole day is insane… I died, got reincarnated…"
"And now I'm about to die again?!"
{Ding! Probability of survival: approximately 0.000003%.}
Kael: "..."
"…Why isn't it negative at this point?"
—Swoosh!
"—!"
Kael jerked his head to the side.
An arrow tore past his face, grazing his cheek.
A thin line of blood formed.
"…What the—"
—Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Three more arrows followed.
"Shit!"
Kael stumbled backward, barely avoiding them as they embedded into the ground behind him.
His heart began racing.
"…Goblins…?"
From the darkness ahead, figures emerged.
Small.
Green.
Ugly.
Dozens of them.
Some carried crude bows.
Others held chipped swords and jagged daggers.
Their yellow eyes locked onto him.
Hungry.
Violent.
{Ding! Host has encountered enemies: Goblins.}
"…No shit."
A goblin screeched—
And they rushed him.
"Wait—wait—WAIT!"
Kael turned and ran.
"I don't know how to fight!"
{Ding! That much is obvious.}
"…Shut up!"
—Swoosh!
An arrow struck his shoulder.
"AAH—!"
He fell forward, rolling across the rough ground.
Pain exploded through his body.
"…Ghh…"
His breathing became erratic.
"Get up… get up…"
The goblins were already closing in.
"…I'm going to die."
{Ding! Correct.}
"…That was fast!"
{Ding! Survival probability remains: 0.000003%.}
"…Can you stop reminding me?!"
A goblin lunged.
Kael raised his arm—
—Slash!
The blade cut across his forearm.
"Ghh—!"
He kicked blindly, pushing the goblin back.
Another one jumped at him.
Kael panicked—
"…MOVE!"
Nothing happened.
"…WHY IS NOTHING WORKING?!"
{Ding! Because you are an idiot.}
"…What?!"
{Ding! You possess EX-rank abilities and are attempting to use them like a caveman.}
"…THEN TELL ME HOW TO USE THEM!"
The goblins surrounded him.
Weapons raised.
No escape.
{Ding! First—stop panicking.}
"…Easy for you to say!"
{Ding! Second—use your eyes.}
"…My eyes?"
A goblin charged.
Kael forced himself to focus—
Pain stabbed behind his vision.
"…Ghh—!"
Then—
Everything changed.
The world slowed.
No—
It became clearer.
He could see lines.
Flowing lines.
Through the goblins.
Through the air.
Through himself.
"…What… is this…?"
{Ding! All-Seeing Eyes activated.}
"…I can see…"
The goblin swung its sword—
Kael moved.
Barely.
The blade missed.
"…I saw it…"
Another goblin attacked—
He stepped aside again.
"…I can predict them…"
For a moment—
He smiled.
Then—
Five goblins attacked at once.
"…Oh shit."
—Slash! Clang! Thud!
A blade cut his side.
Another hit his leg.
He fell again.
"GHH—!"
"…Okay… still dying…"
{Ding! Seeing is not enough.}
"…Then what?!"
{Ding! Use mana.}
"…HOW?!"
A goblin raised its sword above him.
Kael stared—
"…Mana…"
"…Move."
Nothing.
"…MOVE!"
Still nothing.
The sword came down—
Kael rolled at the last second.
—Crash!
"…This is useless!"
{Ding! You are not commanding mana—you are begging it.}
"…What does that even mean?!"
{Ding! Mana responds to will, not desperation.}
"…I'm literally about to die!"
{Ding! Then die with dignity.}
"…YOU'RE THE WORST SYSTEM EVER!"
Kael forced himself to breathe.
In.
Out.
"…Focus…"
"…Not panic…"
"…Control…"
He looked again.
The mana—
He could see it.
Flowing.
Calm.
Unaffected by his fear.
"…So…"
"…I need to match it?"
A goblin rushed him.
Kael raised his hand.
"…Stop."
For a moment—
Nothing.
Then—
The air shifted.
Slightly.
The goblin slowed.
"…It reacted…?"
{Ding! Good. Now command it.}
"…Command…"
Kael clenched his jaw.
"…Fire."
A spark appeared.
Flickered.
Died.
"…Seriously?!"
{Ding! Pathetic.}
"…Shut up!"
Another goblin attacked—
Kael tried again.
"…Fire."
This time—
The spark stayed.
Small.
Weak.
But real.
"…I did it…"
The goblin lunged—
Kael thrust his hand forward instinctively.
The flame burst outward—
—BOOM!
The goblin was thrown back, screaming.
Burning.
Kael froze.
"…That…"
"…That was me?"
{Ding! Congratulations. You have reached the level of a child playing with matches.}
"…I'm going to kill you one day."
{Ding! You can try.}
More goblins charged.
"…Right. Focus."
Arrows came flying—
Kael moved.
This time—
He dodged cleanly.
"…I can see everything now…"
A goblin came from behind—
"…Too obvious."
He stepped aside.
But—
Three more attacked at once.
"…Too many—!"
—Slash!
Another cut.
Blood.
Pain.
"…I can't keep up…"
{Ding! Then move faster.}
"…HOW?!"
{Ding! Use Void Step.}
"…That teleport thing?"
{Ding! Yes. Though calling it 'that teleport thing' is insulting.}
"…I don't know how to use it!"
{Ding! Imagine space. Then step through it.}
"…That's it?!"
{Ding! Yes.}
"…You're useless."
A goblin lunged—
Kael reacted instinctively.
"…Void Step!"
—Silence.
Then—
The world shifted.
He vanished.
"…?!"
He reappeared a few meters away.
"…WHAT—"
He almost lost his balance.
"…That… worked…"
{Ding! Void Step activated. Mana consumption: high.}
"…Yeah… I feel like I'm dying again…"
His legs trembled.
"…So I can't spam that…"
The goblins regrouped.
Now cautious.
"…Alright…"
Kael steadied himself.
"…See… control… move…"
"…I can do this…"
He raised his hand.
"…Wind."
Air gathered.
Weak—but present.
"…Fire."
Flame appeared.
"…Combine…"
For a moment—
Nothing.
Then—
The air ignited.
—WHOOSH!
A wave of burning wind surged forward.
Goblins were blasted back.
Screaming.
"…Okay…"
"…That's strong…"
But more kept coming.
Endless.
"…Of course…"
His breathing grew heavy.
Vision blurred slightly.
"…I'm reaching my limit…"
{Ding! Adapt.}
"…Or die, right?"
{Ding! Correct.}
"…Tch…"
Kael wiped the blood from his mouth.
"…Fine…"
He looked at the swarm ahead.
Dozens still standing.
"…Come on then…"
A faint grin appeared.
"…Let's see how long I last."
Thanks for reading !!!!
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